Children Centre Project

For information, advice, guidance and learning materials in community languages visit:- www.multikulti.org.uk:

 (c) Hillingdon and Ealing Citizens Advice

The Children's Centres' Project commence in November 2008 and provides outreach advice and support for vulnerable families that need help to resolve problems with issues such as debt, welfare benefits and housing, as part of the “one-stop shop” of integrated services provided in Children’s Centres.

The provision of a confidential and independent advice service will help to alleviate child poverty and contribute to the improvement of health outcomes by assisting parents to maximise their income through identifying and claiming welfare benefit entitlements, including back-to work benefits and other opportunities to assist them into employment. 

Parents receive help to manage debts more effectively in changing family circumstances, including the take-up (or loss) of employment, to prevent potential or threatened homelessness, and assistance with the problems caused by inadequate and poor quality housing. 

Advice is available on a drop-in basis and appointments can be booked, if necessary, for a later date. Referrals can also be made through LBH Children’s Services, Healthcare/Midwife Visitors and LBH Social Services.

For more information: click below to view or right click below and Save Target As... to download a report for Children Centres.

        CCP Report Jan - Dec 09 fin.pdf

See also:-

Child Poverty Action Group www.cpag.org.uk

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Case Study:-
A black, female lone parent with children aged two and five years, attended one of our drop-in sessions for debt advice.  A benefit check was completed and the result showed only one child element in payment in her IS entitlement. The Client appeared to have been underpaid welfare benefits for two years.

Our adviser contacted the DWP and they confirmed that an increase was not made when the second child was born, although the information had been supplied by the client and she was receiving her full entitlement to CB.

A payment of £3,002 in arrears was received and her current IS entitlement increased by £50.54 per week.

The client was also advised to apply for vitamin/milk vouchers from the Healthy Start Programme and is now receiving £6.00 per week in vouchers, and she was assisted in completing a request for a grant from Three Valley ’s Water for help with arrears of water rates and is awaiting the outcome.